Updated Jan. 14
The Mai-Kai is honoring its cultural legacy on its 69th anniversary, inviting more than 20 past performers from the Polynesian Islander Revue to participate in a two-day event Dec. 27-28 at the South Florida restaurant. The national historic landmark opened its doors Dec. 28, 1956, adding an authentic dinner show in the early 1960s.
Live coverage below: Photos, video of alumni anniversary weekend
• Saturday (Dec. 27) features alumni shows at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. with a meet-and-greet from 7 to 8.
• Sunday (Dec. 28) showcases a 69th anniversary show at 1, 4, and 7 p.m.
FULL RECAP: Alumni from across the decades gather at the Mai-Kai
The stage show combines music (by the Mai-Kai Serenaders) and dance (by the Mai-Kai Islanders) into a flamboyant but culturally accurate tribute to the islands of the South Pacific, running up to three shows a night, seven days a week for the past six decades. After a four-year interruption when the Mai-Kai was closed for a $20 million restoration and reimagination, the revue remains the oldest continually-running authentic South Seas stage show in the United States (including Hawaii).
Since the Mai-Kai reopened in November 2024, the show has returned bigger and better than ever, featuring second and third-generation performers. The bond between the current and past has never been stronger, creating a familial atmosphere that opened the doors to this year’s unprecedented reunion.
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The festivities will be dedicated to the memory of a legend who we recently lost. Pasefika Iosia, a native of Samoa who spent more than three decades as an entertainer at the Mai-Kai, passed away Dec. 1 in Port St. Lucie, Fla., at age 87. Many whose lives he touched gathered at the Mai-Kai on Dec. 14 to remember “Fika,” who started his career as dancer in 1970 and later performed in the band.
The Mai-Kai paid tribute in an official social media post: “His talent and charisma on stage were unforgettable, and off stage he brought people together through friendship, sports, and laughter. Pasefika wasn’t just a performer – he was family. Thank you, Pasefika, for the joy, spirit, and memories you shared. You will always be in our hearts.”
Among those who came to pay their respects was Mai-Kai matriarch Mireille Thornton, who was one of the original dancers before taking over as choreographer and cultural director for the next six decades. She married owner Bob Thornton, leading the family ownership group after his death in 1989 through the 2020 closing.
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On Dec. 19, a new name was added to the list of alumni when Luiz Mileto ended a more than 25-year run as one of the Mai-Kai’s signature fire knife dancers. Mileto (aka Letz) received an on-stage tribute during his final show, garnering a flurry of leis from his fellow performers and a standing ovation from the hundreds of attendees in the audience. He has long been the Mai-Kai’s most recognizable male dancer, the elder statesman known for his good humor, but serious and skilled on-stage talents.
Later, enjoying a Rum Barrel in the Bora Bora Bar with friends and fellow performers, Letz showed off the burns on his arms that serve as a badge of honor. He ribbed youthful dancer Varua (aka Nicholas Mattei), who is now the senior member of the troupe. Like several of his brethren, Varua has a deep Mai-Kai lineage. [See video]
The young Mattei’s mother (a Molokai Bar server) and grandmother (a Polynesian dancer) are Mai-Kai alumni. His father, Kern Mattei, is approaching his 33rd year in Mai-Kai management. The elder Mattei has taken on the role of alumni coordinator, welcoming back dozens of former employees over the past year and helping put together the anniversary tribute.
Another key organizer of the anniversary celebration is Lono Hanohano, who not only serves as on-stage emcee, but is also the Mai-Kai’s Polynesian cultural director. The humble and amiable host, who took over the leadership role in August, told us that he’s hoping to launch an updated show in February, inspired by historic performances choreographed by his former boss Mireille Thornton. In another tie to the past, Lono’s assistant and the house AV director is Thornton’s grandson, Michael. [Previous coverage]
For the anniversary, they will welcome back many top names from the past six decades, including two notable female dancers who defined the craft for their respective generations. They both received top billing on the official flyer touting the Dec. 27-28 events.
Kainoa Lauritzen, who will perform Saturday, is perhaps the most recognized Polynesian dancer in Mai-Kai history. She was the lead dancer and poster girl for much of her career, which spanned 30 years (1971 to 2001). Lauritzen recently participated in a smaller reunion event at the Mai-Kai during The Hukilau in June.
Nani Maka, who will perform as a special guest on Sunday, is a Hawaiian hula dancer who worked for both the Mai-Kai and the Yankee Clipper’s Polynesian Room in the 1950s and ’60s. Her image was captured by famed photographer Bunny Yeager, and she later appeared on the big screen, most notably in the B-movie Pagan Island (1961). Maka remains an icon of Polynesian dance and has made numerous appearances at events such as The Hukilau over the decades.
One of Saturday’s highlights is sure to be the return of MeduSirena (aka Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid), who is best known for her retro aquatic performances at the Yankee Clipper from 2005 to 2024. The former Mai-Kai dancer and Mystery Girl (2000-2003) will perform a special show with the theatrical drum troupe Samkoma, a spinoff of the Ronin Taiko group she leads with husband Roy Anderson. Among the musicians in Samkoma is longtime Mai-Kai entertainer Conrad Teheiura Itchener (aka Kabuki).
Before Saturday’s meet-and-greet, guests can purchase vintage pictures of many of the performers in the gift shop and have them autographed. Provided by Kern Mattei, here’s an official list of entertainers expected to attend the meet-and-greet and/or perform on stage, along with the decade they started:
1950s – Polynesian dancer Nani Maka.
1970s – Fire dancer and emcee Sonny, Polynesian dancer Kainoa.
1980s – Fire knife dancer RJ Rewi, Polynesian dancers Nalani and Viola.
1990s – Tolu (fire knife dancer and musician); Kalua (daughter of Nalani and kids show alumni); Glenda (Polynesian dancer) and daughter Nai’a (current Polynesian dancer and first female fire knife dancer at the Mai-Kai); musician Hansen; and fire knife dancers Alex, Mileto, Ueva, and VJ (a former world champion).
2000s – Polynesian dancers Malia (aka Marina), Amber, Chelsie, and Doreen. Also Manaia, daughter of RJ Rewi, kids show alumni and current Polynesian dancer.
The anniversary weekend will also include live music and island-style parties in the Molokai and Bora Bora bars with no reservation necessary. The Mai-Kai opens at 1 p.m. Saturday and noon Sunday, with happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m., when most cocktails are 50 percent off in both bars. Space permitting, you can also reserve a seat for dinner in non-showroom dining areas via the website.
When the Mai-Kai opened in 1956, it was a one-of-a-kind Polynesian palace dreamed up by brothers Bob and Jack Thornton. The two ambitious Chicagoans were inspired by the pioneers of the genre, Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic’s. They landed on a large plot of land in Oakland Park, an undeveloped suburb of Fort Lauderdale.
Built with money the brothers borrowed from their parents, the Mai-Kai cost $350,000 to complete, reportedly the most expensive restaurant built that year. They succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. In its first year, the Mai-Kai earned more than $1 million, making it one of the most successful restaurants of its time.
Inside the futuristic A-frame designed by acclaimed architect Charles F. McKirahan Sr., the Mai-Kai was run like a well oiled machine by many managers and staff the Thorntons hired away from the Don the Beachcomber in Chicago. Many of the cocktails created by original mixologist Mariano Licudine, based on secret Don the Beachcomber recipes, are still on the menu today.
A Polynesian show was added in 1961, growing under the leadership of choreographer and costume designer Mireille Thornton (who married Bob in 1971) into the restaurant’s raison d’être. When Jack Thornton bowed out due to health reasons in 1970, his brother led a massive expansion that created the design and footprint of the 26,000-square-foot building that remains to this day. It sits on 2.7 acres of prime real estate fronting Federal Highway (aka U.S. 1).
Mireille Thornton and her children retained ownership through decades of change in the restaurant industry, when family-run restaurants became few and far between. The Mai-Kai persevered, boosted by the abundant South Florida tourist crowd and the always popular Polynesian Islander Revue. More than 300 diners regularly pack the massive showroom under the soaring 40-foot A-frame, filling five distinctive rooms featuring vintage South Seas decor.
The Mai-Kai’s fortunes took a massive hit in 2020, when a devastating roof collapse took out most of the 1970s-era kitchen and forced a change in ownership. While the Thorntons retain a minority stake, the day-do-day operations are led by a new ownership group led by Miami’s Bill Fuller. A co-founder of Barlington Group and noted historic preservationist, Fuller led a massive restoration and reimagination of the property that took more than three years and $20 million to complete.
No detail was spared in the project, which was overseen by creative director “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller and industry-leading architects and designers. The enhanced landscaping and new entry experience, created by theme park experts Perry-Becker Design, take the Mai-Kai experience to the next level.
But when you step into the showroom, it remains a timeless experience that transcends modern tastes and trends. In the year since the reopening, the Mai-Kai has solidified its place as one of the most immersive and transportive Polynesian dining experiences ever created.
But it would be nothing without the talented entertainers and loyal staff who continue to call the Mai-Kai home, and those who never forgot the memorable years they spent there. This year’s anniversary celebration brings everything together in a historic two-day event.
OFFICIAL SITES & SOCIAL MEDIA
• MaiKai.com | Instagram
• Facebook page | Friends of the Mai-Kai group
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FULL RECAP: Alumni from across the decades gather at the Mai-Kai
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